The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-10-14
SELECT STORY.
THE OAsKETs KEY.

wealthy, intelligent, and ambitious Of
literary fame, went to Italy to collect
materials and to consult authorities
before beginning his projected tragedy
OF "C@sar Borgia,' his friends and rel
atives in New York were far from an
ticipating the actual results of his re-
searches. These had brought about
his acquaintance with a certain DIR.
Alexander Marini, an aged physician
of Milan, who claimed descent from
one OF the collateral branches of the
Borgia family. This old doctors grand
daughter, Lucrezia Marini, was won
derfully beautiful, an Italian blonde,
| glowing with the freshness Of extreme
youth, being then hardly seventeen,
and with all the lustre of a loveliness
which, as her grandfather declared, re-
vived and reproduced the charms of
her of the same name who was the fa-
nous bride Of Duke Alfonso of Ferra-
ra. The tragedy remained unwritten
and Chester Seabrook took to wife this
dazzling creature. If, wedding in
haste,he afterwards repented at leisure,
the outside world was destined never
to know. His married life lasted a
little over one year. His brilliant
Italian wife died in giving birth to a
son, and the young widower returned
to his native land with his little child,
possibly wiser man, but certainly a
sadder one. 1t was an ominous fact
that he never referred 10 his wife in
any way, nor to the experiences of his
few months of matrimony. A minia-
ture, painted on ivory and reproducing
the glowing yet delicate beauty of the
fair Lucrezia, was all that remained to
him of that episode in his life. That,
and the boy, who had received the
name of Louis, and who bore we'll his
transfer to the United States, growing
and thriving as though he had been
born under the shadow of the Stars
and Stripes.
| When Louis was little over twelve
years of age his father died suddenly
of typhoid pneumonia. He had one
only sister, Mrs. Richard Marsden, and
to her and her husband he bequeathed
the guardianship of his son and that
sons large fortune. 1t was healthy.
natured and happy family in which the
boy grew to manhood. Mrs Marsden's &
three sons were all older than Louis,
and did not, it is true, take very kind.
ly to their cousin. But her only
, daughter, little Grace was some years
his junior, and, as is often the case in
, such instances with intelligent, pre-
, 'cocious little girls, she developed q
great fancy for her moody boy cousin
and regularly took him under her pro-
! lection.
i The poor boy needed all the affection
that could possibly be bestowed upon
j him. He was never strong, and his
disposition was gloomy and morbid to
q degree that was extraordinary in one
that was to 80 great degree favor.
lite Of fortune. He was shy and silen,
to a painful extent and despite his
Italian origin, be developed no taste
for either art or music. He decided
early in life to become physician, but
after studying medicine for some few
years in desultory, languid way, de,
voting the chief part of bis time to in
vesugations concerning the nature and
properties of poisons, he sud denly an.
nounced that on attaining his majority
he had made up his mind to relinquish
all idea of studying profession. And
he likewise astonished Mr.. and Mrs
Marsden by making formal proposals
for the hand of Grace.
These proposals were negatived al
once, and decidedly, by Mr.. Marsden
"You are both of you too young to
think of such thing as marriage, OF
even of an engagement, Louis" his
uncle made answer. "You are only
just twenty-one, and Grace is but
few weeks over sixteen. Moreover,
have decided objections to the mar
riage Of first cousins"
"You do not know to what you doom
me, uncle was the gloomy response o.
the young man. "Grace is all that
have to live for upon earth, and if
lose her,
SNOW do not talk nonsense, Louis,
responded Richard Marsden, briskly
but not unkindly. "Grace is too mucl
of child to be allowed to listen tt
your proffers of affection. She care,
no mere for you than she does for ed
or Harry, or Frank. You are like
brother to her--nothing more-and
do not mean to have her mind disturb
ed by anything like ove-making. Be
sides, you have seen nothing of the
world, as you should do before choos
ing wife and settling down to matri
mony and quietude. Go abroad
spend the next two years in European
Sand then you will give Grace tt
met" eagerly asked the youth, hi
pale face flushing and his dark eye
glowing as he spoke.
81 make no promise I will enter in
to no compact with you on that sub
ject. You and Grace must both b,
entirely free, and if either of yo,
should fall in love with some on,
else"
81 cannot admit the existence O
such possibility as far as am con
cerned,' Louis made answer, passion
ately. ..
"Nevertheless such things are posi-
5 BILE, and have often occurred, especial
ly where two such children as yO,
! both are were concerned. Now let m,
hear nothing more on this subject.
shall send Grace to stay with her aunt
Mrs. Eiavyn, in Washington, until 20,
are gone, and | shall feel seriously dis
pleased with you if yoa breach to he
any subject connected with love ant
matrimony before her departure"
And 80 well and carefully did Mrs
Marsden (wEo was at once acquainted
by her husband with all the details o
the affair watch over her daughter
that Grace went away for her yisi
wholly unconscious of the conques
she had made of he cousins affections
J She was, to tell the truth, so delighte,
at the idea of a journey to Washington
of a sojourn with her favorite aun
(whose daughter Alice was about he
? own age), and of all the things sh
meant to see and do, that she los
sight of the fact that Cousin Louis wa
I.n.oo. a. all e.. E,..1. r.